Finally, today was the day Dun and the boy would go back to Yangon. Lim, feeling regretful, hugged and bid farewell to the boy. After that, he left quickly. The flight time was so early that even the sun didn't rise over the east horizon when they hit the road. Nobel Lin seemed to be fond of early mornings. The rest of the children couldn't wake up to say goodbye. So, they two said goodbyes to a few people and had breakfast only when they arrived at the airport. As usual, Dun cut the humbarger off into pieces and set it in front of the boy. Only then, the boy dug in.
When they took their seats on the plane, Nobel Lin stared outside the window without drifting off. For Dun, he took turns to read and sleep till the plane landed at the Yangon International Airport.
At the airport, they've got only their backpacks and Nobel Lin's luggage so it's not that heavy to carry. For the paintings that Nobel Lin drew, they were all left to be sold to raise the funds for the orphanage so the boy brought only his clothes.
Because Nobel Lin used to get lost while travelling, Dun took the luggage in one hand and the boy's hand in the other hand. In this way, they both headed to the exit. "Dun, over here!" As soon as he heard the lady's voice, he smiled and greeted her. She, May Moe Madi, put on a stunning smile and waved her hands.
Much to his embarrassment, when he was young, Dun once begged his mother to ask for her hand in marriage who was two years older than him. If someone asked him now if he would marry her , he would say yes without any hesitation. Because she had met all the requirements he set.
He actually didn't think she would pick them up for she was as busy as a bee. She was probably here because of the boy. Well, she and the boy really had a good chemistry in the past.
"Little Noh Noh, do you recognise me? We played together when we were younger."
"Yes."
"Owii! You are much cuter than before. Your cheeks also become more chubby. You don't give any supplement to make little Noh Noh grow taller, do you? He seems smaller. For God's sake!"
While pinching his cheeks and ruffling his hair, she nagged them at the same time. Although she was reserved and proud on the outside, she was gentle and kind on the inside, especially towards Noh Noh, whom she regarded as her own son.
Dun and Nobel Lin were her little brothers whom she really loved. Dun still remembered when Noh Noh was taken away, she couldn't eat nor sleep, and thus she lost weight at that time.
"Noh Noh, will you come with me? Dun spent most of the time at the hospital so you might get bored at home."
"No."
He immediately answered but gave only one word response. She felt a little uncomfortable but she knew Nobel Lin was always like this. She had to even thank him for replying to her question.
"Okay. It's up to you. But if Dun is not at home, I'll come take you. Alright?"
Nobel Lin made no response and was only looking at the buses running outside.
While Dun was driving and chatting with May Moe Madi at the front, he found Nobel Lin fell asleep when he noticed him. Well, he didn't sleep on the plane so he must be tired now.
When they reached their home, Aunt Mya and Uncle Naung were waiting for them at the entrance. Who knew for how long they waited for them!
"Do you bring Noh Noh? Is he in the back? Let me see him! OH, my baby has grown up."
Aunt Mya didn't even spare her time to ask Dun if he was tired. Instead, she opened the back door and gazed at Nobel Lin. Uncle Naung unloaded the luggage in the trunk,
"I still remember when that bad boy ran around the house because he didn't want to bathe, we all had to go catch him. The days were not that boring because of him."
"It goes the same for me. Once, when I gave him fish, he pushed away all the plates on the dining table."
They are laughing when talking about the boy. Dun seriously doesn't get why people love the boy so much even when he is naughty. Were the things he did pleasant and amusing in their eyes?
"I also remember that Dun once complained about Nobel Lin who made a mess on his exercise book. I had to copy it all until I felt numb. "
May Moe Madi also shares her experience. The things they said were not funny and didn't even involve good things about the boy.
"Nobel Lin, do you not plan to get up at all? There's no one here who would pick you up and carry you to the bed. You are no longer a child."
Dun wakes the boy up by shaking his body to stop their conversation. When his sister sees what he is doing, she hits him in the arm.
That's it! People around him were sensitive when it came to the boy. It was everyone from his parents to the ones who work at his home. It was not totally his fault that he came to loathe Nobel Lin.
Nobel Lin blinked many times to get a clear view of his surroundings and then, he got down from the car. Aunt Mya and Uncle Naung wish the boy would recognise them.
"Do you remember us, don't you? We are Uncle Naung and Aunt Mya."
They both were siblings and they looked after Dun since young as well as babysitters for May Moe Madi. Undoubtedly, it's also them who looked after the boy.
Noh Noh nodded in agreement so everyone was filled with ineffable joy.
'Well, we didn't change that much as we are the elders. We're afraid kids won't remember us when you grow up. If Zalat were here, she would be on the top of the world when she saw you three together."
Mya Zalat was Dun's mother. She was the lady of this house and a comforting space for the three of them. When Dun was three years old, May Moe Madi was brought home; Nobel Lin came when he was ten years old. The younger Dun was a little condescending at home, but when Nobel Lin appeared, everything changed and he had to step down from his position. Dun also took back everything he suffered from Nobel Lin with interest.
When his parents passed away, May Moe Madi worked as a designer to enrol Dun in a school and by the time she made a name for herself, they moved to another city. For Nobel Lin, he was taken by Aunt Nilar to the Netherlands. Now at the reunion after eight years, although their house, Uncle Naung and Aunt Mya didn't change, they who were once kids changed a lot. However, their considerate father and warm-hearted mother had already gone from this world.